1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to identifying loose connections or faulty wiring that will cause a rise in temperature on the bus bars of a load center or panel board associated with a circuit breaker or plurality of circuit breakers.
2. Background Information
Oftentimes heat damage in or surrounding electrical distribution equipment is caused by failures in electrical wiring. Occasionally, bus bars get hot spots on them that are desirable to detect. Examples of patents relating to temperature sensors includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,872,355 (Klein, et al.) which is directed to an early warning fire detection system using conventional building electrical power distribution circuits; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,565,455 (Bloore, et al.) relating to a heat regulating system utilizing a temperature sensor tape associated with and controlling the temperature of a heating tape.
It is desired to detect and react to dangerous levels of excessive heat when origination occurs in the electrical distribution panel. What is needed is a simple means to recognize such faulty wiring or loose connections by identifying a rise in temperature on the bus bar or other electrical conductor where such problems occur. What is also needed is a system capable of detecting heat rises due to any fault before a fire breaks out or other damage occurs. Such a system should provide electrical signals that indicate such a problem and provide a detecting circuit connected to a circuit breaker which would switch off an individual circuit breaker or a main circuit breaker that feeds the electrical distribution panel after a preset voltage is reached.